Bravery
by MadeOfTitanium
Summary: My throat became constricted as I scooped it up and analysed the headline. It completely stunned my eyes. ALL CAPITOL PRISONERS HAVE BEEN FOUND AND RELEASED. "I'm still betting on you, Girl on Fire," was all he said. It was Cinna. Pre-epilogue oneshot


**Hello there! In order to acknowledge my one year of writing on this website (and my 15****th**** birthday which was yesterday), I thought I would celebrate by creating a one shot with one of my favourite characters, Katniss Everdeen in it. By portraying her in a short film, I feel like I understand her more and what she thinks like and is capable of. I imagine that this would be set just after the 'Real or Not real' scene in Mockingjay, however before the epilogue. I really hope you enjoy it as much as I do! So without further ado, I will let you read on. Here's to another year of writing!**

_**Disclaimer**_**: Suzanne Collins owns the Hunger Games and one day I want to thank her for inventing such a brilliant thing! Somehow, someway!**

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Waking up is a relief to me. To escape from all of the nightmares that plagued my mind. I stretch as I sit up in my soft white bed, in my safe home, in the calm Victor's Village of District 12. I was home and alive with my mother and Peeta. As I got to my bare feet, I reflected on what had happened the night before.

"_You love me. Real or not real?" he whispered._

_I tell him. "Real."_

I feel pleased as I reflect on what happened next. The soft kiss and how he held me tightly. The way I had the old Peeta Mellark back in my arms. The sacrifices we all had to face over the past years were mind blowing. The people that we had all lost. My father. Prim. Rue. Thresh. Mags. Finnick. And countless others. I sighed as I dressed myself in a fresh cloud white blouse and midnight black trousers and descended downstairs into the kitchen where my mother was carefully buttering some bread Peeta must have just delivered. She smiled tightly at me and I returned it sadly. We were still mourning our losses and trying desperately to pull through. It wasn't easy. Sitting down at the table, I devoured the loaf and sighed as the smooth butter soothed my throat and the warmth of the bread spread across my tongue. I intended to have a calm day and talk to Haymitch and Peeta about what we would do now that the rebellion had won.

However, my eye was caught by the daily newspaper of Panem. Frowning, I stalked over to the printed paper, expecting the headlines to be about me and all I had been through as the Mockingjay. But it wasn't. My throat became constricted as I scooped it up and analysed the headline. It completely stunned my eyes.

**ALL CAPITOL PRISONERS HAVE BEEN FOUND AND RELEASED.**

My heart thumped as the information swept over me. There were people still alive. Thank goodness. I breathed at a slow rate as my mother stepped outside to gather some herbs and I placed the paper back down on the wooden table. Shutting my eyes, I imagined the way hundreds of people would stumble back home to families that had probably stopped waiting for them. They would embrace them and cry for hours upon end. However these people wouldn't be the same as they were before. They would have been tortured and brutally abused the way Peeta had been.

I shuddered as the images and screams flew into my mind. Suddenly, there was an echo and ring of a doorbell. Confused, I made my way down the hallway and towards the front door. It couldn't be Haymitch or Peeta… they always just strolled in. Gale had already left the District after what he'd done. Why would anybody else want to see me? Hesitantly, I grasped the handle and slowly swung the door open. I stopped dead as I drank in the person's features. Amazement spread across my face and my eyes widened.

A familiar man stood before me. Even though his body was unexpectantly thin as a rail, his golden eyeliner and warm, safe presence filled the air. A hand flew to my mouth as the tears built up in my eyes and I tried to hold them back as I met eye to eye with the man that restored all hope to me. He smiled charmingly and I could see that he too was holding back tears.

"I'm still betting on you, Girl on Fire," was all he said. It was Cinna.

We both stood frozen for a few moments before the tears cascaded down my cheeks. I flung myself at him and hugged him tightly. He let out a sob and clutched me, spinning me around and off of the ground. Neither of us could stop crying as we hugged, cried and laughed. After a minute, the relief sunk in and I dragged him inside, taking his single case with me. He sat down on the sofa and gratefully gulped down the glass of water I offered him. As my mother walked in, she too gasped and dropped her plants to the floor, covering the man in a hug. After greeting him, she grabbed the phone and called Peeta and Haymitch to come over and celebrate.

Minutes later, they both arrived panting. Haymitch clutched bottles of wine and beer with a small smile as Peeta grinned widely with long loafs of bread underneath his arms. I let them both in and took their things to the kitchen as they greeted my designer. Smiling to myself, I re-entered the study where they had been sat and saw them all laughing and smiling. We all caught up and Cinna smiled widely at me as Peeta wound an arm around my waist. My friend winked at me and I blushed lightly. We celebrated well into the night and eventually, Peeta and Haymitch left to go home. Peeta didn't hesitate to kiss me goodnight and I didn't falter as I was only too happy to have him back. After they left, I offered Cinna to stay for a while and he graciously accepted, occupying one of the various spare rooms. The day had been full of surprises and I knew, as I lay in bed, that there would be a price for my happiness.

I was shocked as there was a knocking on my door and I bolted upright.

"Come in," I whispered hesitantly. The door creaked open and there stood Cinna in the landing light wearing navy blue pyjamas. No longer sporting his golden eye make-up, he looked very different. "Cinna, do you need something?" I asked and he stepped inside and shut the door. I smiled encouragingly and he sat down on my bed.

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay," he whispered and I hugged him tightly. "I also saw that you wore my mockingjay outfit. Thank you." I smirked and clambered out of bed and opened my wardrobe to reveal the suit that was on the back of the door. Grinning, he got up and stroked the outfit. "I always knew you could do it, Girl on Fire."

We talked more for half an hour about Peeta, Haymitch and what the Capitol was now like. It was only as he was leaving, that I noticed the scars that brutally lined his wrists and could be seen at the top of his pyjama top. He saw where my gaze was and took a deep breath. "Katniss… it's okay. I'm fine." he reassured me and I nodded.

"How long will you stay?" I asked slowly to which he squeezed my outstretched hand.

"As long as you need me, Girl on Fire," Cinna reassured me and I nodded. "I'm still betting on you."

"Thank you Cinna, you're one of the heroes of the war. You're so brave. You helped me and I can't think of any way to thank you. I wish I could be brave like you," I sighed as he stepped backwards.

"You are Katniss. We both are," my best friend replied and hugged me once more before heading back to his room. "And thank you for giving me the best opportunity. Torture can't stop me and keep me away from my friends and loved ones."

I smiled as I shut the door and clambered back into bed. I now had Peeta back and Cinna. My lover and best friend. The smile remained on my face and I slept without any nightmares, knowing that one more person I cared about was safe.

**YAY! I hope you all like it! Thanks for reading! Don't forget to favourite, subscribe, alert and…**

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